Empty Orchestra
by Little Whinger
Summary: Harry introduces Draco to the fun of karaoke. Reviews appreciated! And the usual disclaimers apply...I don't own Harry, Draco, Kreacher, or any of the other characters, locations, etc.


**Empty Orchestra**

by Little Whinger

* This story takes place seven months prior to my earlier story, "Tied Up, With A Bow". *

* * *

"Do we have any plans for tonight?" Harry Potter called, popping his head through the space between the door and frame.

"No, why?" Draco Malfoy responded, looking up from his desk at the seemingly disembodied head that was peering into his office.

"Good...don't make any," Harry said, gleefully, smiling suspiciously. "I'll pick you up at eight!"

"For what...?" Draco started to ask, but Harry had withdrawn his head from the door and closed it before Draco could finish. Half-smiling and shaking his head, Draco muttered to himself, "Merlin...what, this time?"

Not that he didn't usually enjoy Harry's spontaneous nature. In the six months they'd been dating, Draco had been introduced to a number of things that Harry had either always enjoyed, or had recently discovered on his own. Most of them were enjoyable...a few were downright ridiculous.

Picking up his quill, he returned to work.

* * *

At a quarter-past-eight, a knock sounded at Draco's flat door.

Laughing and rolling his eyes, Draco answered the door to find Harry standing there, smiling his adorable, crooked smile, his somewhat wild eyebrows raised in an expression that clearly meant, "I'm here...don't yell at me for being late." He was wearing a pair of faded, well-fitted jeans, a T-shirt bearing a screen-printed logo that Draco recognized as that of a Muggle music group called The Beatles, and purple Converse high-top trainers.

"Hi!" Harry said, fidgeting a bit, something that Draco had come to find somewhat endearing. Ignoring Harry's tardiness, Draco opened the door the rest of the way.

"Hello," he said, smiling and ushering Harry into the entrance foyer, and receiving a quick hug and peck on the lips in return. "So...what goofy, Muggle thing are you subjecting me to, tonight?" He asked, an eyebrow cocked over a less-snarky/more-amused smirk.

"You'll see when we get there," Harry hedged, raising his own eyebrow. "Are you ready?"

"Just about...give me a sec'," Draco replied, winking and heading down the hall, calling, "Make yourself comfortable."

Leaving Harry to his own devices, Draco ducked into his bedroom to make a last-minute change to his wardrobe. Harry had dressed more casually than Draco had expected, so he quickly removed the necktie and dress shirt he was wearing, and pulled a grey and purple striped polo shirt over his head (he still had to be slightly better-dressed than Harry, after all), and tied his nearly-shoulder-length platinum blond hair back into a pony-tail.

Giving himself an appraising once-over in the mirror, he headed back out to the living room to find Harry leafing through one of the magazines from the coffee table.

"Okay, Harry," he said standing in the doorway, smiling. "Let's go." Harry smiled and stood, and the two of the headed out the door of the flat.

* * *

Due to Harry's continued insistence on taking Muggle transport whenever they went out into the city, it was nearly nine o'clock by the time they reached their destination, a place in Soho called Molly Moggs. On the sign, Draco saw the word "Karaoke" and blanched.

"Oh, Harry...no!" he said, horrified. "I thought we were going to another one of those Muggle plays...like the one you took me to a couple of months ago, the one about the horses?"

"'Equus'," Harry replied, smirking, his eyes twinkling. "You just liked it because you said that Daniel Radcliffe fellow looked like me when we were in school, and because he kept running around naked!" Draco blushed, furiously.

"Well, okay, maybe...," Draco admitted, embarrassed, crossing his arms over his chest and shuffling his feet a bit. Bringing the conversation back around, he insisted, "But Harry...I can't sing!"

"Draco, you can, too!" Harry laughed. "I've heard you!"

"In the shower, when I thought you were asleep!" Draco muttered between gritted teeth.

"And you sounded great!" Harry pressed, gently gripping Draco's shoulders, smiling at him. Draco pursed his lips, annoyed, and growled slightly, in his throat, glaring at Harry for a moment.

"Fine!" Draco grumbled, finally. "I'll go in, but I'm not singing!" Harry rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Fine!" he echoed. "But I think, once you're in there, you'll see that you have nothing to be afraid of!" He took Draco's hand and led him into the bar, Draco looking reluctant but resigned.

Inside, a young woman was valiantly murdering Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit", while the crowd enthusiastically cheered her on. Draco screwed up his face in disgust.

"Really?!" he muttered to himself. Harry turned to look at him, quizzically, but Draco shook his head and mouthed, "Never mind."

After a few minutes, the song ended and the crowd burst into wild applause. The girl laughed and handed the microphone to the host, who crowed into the mic, "That was amazing! Gina, everybody!" The applause peaked again, briefly before the host spoke again, calling someone named Richard up to sing. An older, heavy-set gentleman with greying hair and a walrus mustache stood and stepped up to the mic, and the introduction for Elvis Presley's "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" started.

"He looks like your Uncle!" Draco whispered into Harry's ear. Draco had seen a photo of Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley on a shelf at Harry's house. Harry nodded, a sad smile playing on his face.

Harry's cousin, Dudley (whom he'd come to be on Christmas and birthday card terms with) had called Harry at the end of March to let him know that Uncle Vernon had died. Draco had urged Harry to attend the funeral out of respect for family, and had even gone with him, in support. But though he had connected with Dudley and received a crushing hug from the bear of a man that Dudley had become, Harry had kept his distance from Aunt Petunia, not wanting to cause a scene.

As Richard started singing, he sounded surprisingly like Elvis, though a bit more British.

"He's not half bad," Harry commented part-way through the song. Draco nodded, shrugging slightly.

After a few more singers had been up, Harry excused himself and went to the restroom. Draco ordered another drink and cringed through a painful rendition of Melissa Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud", again by Gina. With his eyes closed and hands over his ears, Draco didn't notice that Harry stopped by the sign-up book on his way back from the restroom.

"Hi," Harry said, suddenly plunking back down at the table, causing Draco to jump, slightly.

"Oh, Merlin, Potter!" he groaned, playfully tossing Harry's surname at him in mock annoyance. "Is the song over, yet?" He looked back toward the stage to see that Gina had surrendered the microphone and returned to her seat. "Oh, thank Merlin!"

"She is pretty awful, isn't she?" Harry replied, smirking and taking a sip of his drink, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

After a couple more songs, the host announced, "And now we have a new singer with us tonight. Everyone give a warm welcome to Harry!" Draco started and looked at Harry as he stood, smiling, and walked to the microphone. Amused, impressed, and more than a little aroused, Draco watched as Harry crooned his way through Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight".

When the song ended, the crowd applauded, whistling and hooting their praise. Harry smiled and made his way back to the table, where Draco was standing, applauding him with a very hungry look in his eye.

"So...?" Harry asked, expectantly, as he and Draco sat back down.

"Well...someone will definitely be getting a good shagging, tonight," Draco said, an eyebrow raised, smirking.

"Oh...?" Harry cooed. "I wonder who?" He winked at Draco, and smiled as he felt Draco's foot slide up the inside of his calf.

"I wonder...?" Draco purred...well, as best one can purr over someone belting out Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell".

A little while later, after a couple more drinks, Harry stood and headed for the sign-up book. Walking back, he had a wicked look in his eye and a smile to match.

"What are you going to sing, this time?" Draco asked.

"You'll see...," Harry said, evasively, bobbing his eyebrows.

"Uh-oh...should I be scared?" Draco asked, giggling a bit.

"I'm not saying," Harry replied. "But I think I need another." He held up his nearly-empty glass. Draco nodded.

"Me, too?" he asked, indicating his own empty. Harry nodded and headed off to the bar.

Harry returned with the drinks a couple of minutes later, while another newcomer sang a passable rendition of The Who's "My Generation", then the host called Harry up again. Grinning wickedly, Harry walked up to the microphone, and launched in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". Draco immediately started laughing, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, Merlin!" he muttered to himself, taking a sip of his drink.

As with the previous song, Harry's rendition was surprisingly good, and he really put himself into the whole song, dancing and cavorting on the stage, and head-banging, a la "Wayne's World", during the bridge. The crowd, of course, totally got into it, and cheered and encouraged him. Draco, himself, even hooted and shouted to Harry, laughing and applauding.

When the song was over, the crowd erupted into another round of applause as Harry made his way back to his seat, receiving several comments from people as he passed.

"If we weren't in public, I'd be all over you, right now!" Draco growled, seductively, as Harry sat down.

"Yeah...?" Harry replied, looking down at the tent in Draco's pants. "Well, down boy...it's your turn!" he said, winking.

"For what...?" Draco asked, suddenly puzzled, then heard the announcer.

"Is there a Draco...?" came from the PA system. Draco's eyes went wide with terror.

"Oh, no...!" he muttered, shaking his head. "Oh, Harry, you didn't...?!" Harry just smiled and nodded, pointing toward the microphone. Draco put his hands over his face, terrified. Harry leaned closer, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Draco, just give it a try," Harry said, cocking his head to the side. "It's really not that bad...and I mean, if Gina can get up there and murder every song, you can certainly do better!" Draco raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips, took a deep breath and let it out in a frustrated-but-resigned sigh.

"Fine...but you've just lost your shagging privileges for a month!" he muttered, standing and turning to walk up to the mic, then turned back. "Wait...what the Hell am I singing?!"

"Just get up there!" Harry replied, waving him up. Narrowing his eyes at Harry for a moment, he made his way up to the microphone, to a renewed ripple of applause.

"Hi...sorry, my soon-to-be EX-boyfriend signed me up for this," he muttered into the microphone, glancing toward where he knew Harry was sitting, unable to see him for the lights in his eyes. "I don't even know what he signed me up for." Glancing at the screen he saw the song title and both eyebrows went up. As the intro of "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground began playing, Draco stared out into the crowd in the direction of Harry, shaking his head, the corner of his mouth quirking into a smirk as he grudgingly started to sing.

As the song progressed, the audience egging him on, Draco gradually came out of his shell and got into it. Harry, of course, was the most unashamedly and adorably obnoxious supporter. Draco giggled to himself a couple of times when Harry called out to him. When the song ended, he gave a goofy little bow as he relinquished the mic and left the stage.

"Draco, that was fantastic!" Harry enthused as Draco approached the table.

Collapsing onto his chair across the table from Harry, he laughed, "Oh, Merlin...I'm gonna kill you, later!" and flopped into the table, both embarrassed and giddy. "Ohhhh!" he sighed, his face buried between the table and his elbow. Harry laughed and petted the top of Draco's head, lovingly.

"Awww, c'mon," he said. "You were terrific...really!" Draco looked up at him, one eyebrow quirked, the other eye narrowed, skeptically. "I mean it!" Harry insisted.

"Really?' Draco asked, uncertain.

"Really, really!" Harry said, emphatically. Still not sure, Draco quirked his mouth to the side, slightly, cocked his head to the side and shrugged.

"Okay...," Draco relented, then added, dramatically, "but do NOT make me go up there again, Potter, or so help me, I WILL hex your balls off!"

"Alright...I promise!" Harry said, making a crossing motion across his heart with one hand, and then putting both hands up in a gesture of surrender. "But admit it...it was fun, wasn't it?" he goaded. Draco eyed him, wickedly, for a moment.

"Maybe a little...," he hedged. "But I mean it! Balls. Hexed. Off!" Draco looked down toward Harry's crotch, then back at his face, smirking.

"Okay, okay!" Harry laughed, smirking back, and renewed the surrender gesture before picking up his drink and taking a sip.

Draco looked at Harry for a few moments, shaking his head and grinning, goofily, then took another drink.

"And why 'Sex and Candy'?!" he suddenly blurted. "Of all the songs you could have picked...!" He trailed off, giggling.

"It sounded good in the shower," Harry explained. "I wanted to hear it with the backing track." Draco rolled his eyes and shaking his head. "What song would you have rather sung?"

"I'm not saying!" Draco said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Remember: Balls." He snapped his fingers, sharply. "Off!" Harry giggled, closing his legs ever-so-slightly.

"Got it." Harry said, affirmatively, giving a little salute. Draco rolled his eyes, again, and finished his drink.

* * *

An hour later, after a few more drinks, Harry had been up to sing another song - The Beatles' "Come Together" - and Draco was pleasantly buzzed and ready for bed.

"Can we please just Apparate?" Draco begged. "I don't think I can take another bus, train or taxi!" Harry chuckled a bit.

"Okay," he agreed. "Come on...over here." He led them into a nearby alley, and once they were in the shadows, they popped off to Draco's.

"Oof!" Draco groaned upon appearing in his living room. "I forgot what Apparating while intoxicated was like!" He flopped onto the sofa and toed off his shoes, flexing his feet. "Mmmm...!" he sighed, contentedly, as Harry joined him, and they snuggled on the sofa together.

"See, now wasn't that fun?" Harry asked, quietly.

"It was alright...but you're lucky that you didn't sign me up for a second song!" Draco threatened, grinning.

"I value my balls," Harry replied, with a laugh. "Which, by the way, are MUCH bigger than Daniel Radcliffe's!" Draco groaned at Harry's renewal of the months'-old argument.

'No, they are not...they're exactly the same!" he insisted, reaching down and groping Harry's denim-clad crotch. Leaning in, he purred, "He could be your clone, I'm telling you!" Harry laughed, throatily and smiled, rolling his eyes and relishing the feel of Draco's hand on him.

"Oh, Draco...!" he sighed as they settled back, again, kissing.

Finite.

* * *

Author's Notes:

The title, "Empty Orchestra", comes from the literal translation of the Japanese word karaoke.

For those who don't know, the pub mentioned in the story, Molly Moggs, really does exist in Soho, though I've never been there, myself. I Googled "karaoke bars in London", and the name caught my eye, because of Molly Weasley, and Moggs made me think of Muggle. Upon further research, I learned that it's actually a gay night club that features karaoke on Friday and Saturday evenings.

And darling Daniel Radcliffe, I meant absolutely no disrespect...your balls are quite lovely!

And finally, I started writing this story on 3/28/2013, the night before the announcement that Richard Griffiths, the wonderful actor who played Vernon Dursley in all of the "Harry Potter" films, and co-starred with Daniel in "Equus", had died. I had already made reference to the person who looked like Uncle Vernon, but when I read that Griffiths had died, I decided to turn it into a bit of a tribute to him. RIP, Mr. Griffiths...you were fantastic, and you will be missed! *wand up* Mischief managed.


End file.
